It's rivalry week for college football, and that means it's time to bring your tailgate game to the next level. Every week this season, AL.com and Royal Cup bring you recipes guaranteed to impress your friends at your tailgate or game-day gathering with our Ultimate Tailgate with Southern Chefs.
This week, Chef Chris Hastings from Hot & Hot Fish Club and Ovenbird in Birmingham shows Lauren Sisler how to make a Southern classic perfect for your next tailgate or game day party: shrimp and grits.
Watch Chef Hastings prepare this quick and easy dish in the video above.
Chris Hastings' Shrimp & Grits
Ingredients:
- Butter
- Shrimp
- Coarse ground grits
- Milk
- Chicken stock
- Shallot
- Mirepoix (carrots, celery and onion)
- Fresh thyme
- Meyer lemon
- Verjus (green grape juice)
- Chives
- Flat leaf parsley
- Country ham
Directions:
Shrimp:
- Melt 3/4 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of finely chopped shallot and 2 tablespoons chopped mirepoix (carrots, celery and onion). Cook until vegetables become translucent.
- Add 1 teaspoon fresh thyme.
- Add shrimp. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until pink and opaque on both sides.
- Add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of verjus, one tablespoon of butter, and the juice of half a Meyer lemon. Cook together until butter is melted to form a sauce.
- Garnish with chopped chives, flat leaf parsley, salt and pepper.
- Pour shrimp and sauce over grits.
- Top with country ham (Chef Hastings recommends Benton's Country Ham).
Grits: (Chef Hastings recommends coarse ground grits for this recipe)
- Add one part chicken stock to one part milk and bring to a simmer. Add fresh thyme and one tablespoon of butter.
- Cook in 5 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of grits.
- Cook grits in liquid for 30-40 minutes.
